


The Final Tower

by Wiseskylight



Category: Katekyou Hitman Reborn!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Magic, Demons, Hunters, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-08-21
Packaged: 2021-03-02 20:15:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24072784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Wiseskylight/pseuds/Wiseskylight
Summary: Tsuna wished for a simple life. Not one involving magic, towers, hunters and certainly not a powerful group of demons.
Relationships: Arcobaleno/Sawada Tsunayoshi
Comments: 40
Kudos: 303





	1. Chapter 1

The bell rings and Tsuna follows.

It is usually unheard of for universities to have a central belltower signifying the start of the day, but he will be lying to himself if he said this place personifies the ordinary. The last time Tsuna saw the tower was during the open day for aspiring students, 'aspiring' being the keyword. There are no students who come to United Front University open days and have it placed as their second option for studying. It will always be first and just by strolling through the maze of corridors he could understand why. The walls thrum alive with magic, interweaving with the rest of the university. This makes U.F incredibly well known for one course in particular. However, it is not Tsuna's chosen subject and he's glad for it. He is a part of the U.F School of Media, Art and Design – one of the four schools U.F is split into – and its campus is where he is heading.

Today is induction day for first-year students and Tsuna cannot help but feel waves of excitement stirring within his chest as he glances down at the university map. His school campus is about a seven-minute stroll from his current position in the west courtyard. Here Tsuna observes other students sitting on the various seats sprinkled around the yard. He presumes some are waiting for their induction to start as there are different times to accommodate the numerous students enrolled. Tsuna's induction begins at nine o'clock but the mixture of a sleepless night and nerves had him arrive earlier than needed. During that time, he had his ID photo and card sorted out so he will not have to worry about getting it later. Tsuna imagines the large lines of students sorting out their IDs will be a tedious experience for those who arrive late.

Tsuna slides out his phone from his jean pocket and checks the time. He has a little more than thirty minutes before the welcome talk begins and contemplates whether he should carry on towards the campus. He ultimately decides against it and sits on one of the empty seats close to him. The prospect of being the first one there and having to wait for the other students to arrive makes Tsuna feel a little queasy. He would rather arrive at the same time as everyone else.

Turning his attention back to the courtyard, Tsuna notices a number of students already sat in groups of three or above. They are all either laughing or chatting in the same thrilled tone. He wonders if the people within the groups already know each other from their days in high school. The way they interact with each other makes him presume they do. Tsuna cannot help but feel a little envious at this. If he had not taken the last two years off, he would have joined U.F along with a few of his own high school classmates. Nevertheless, if he had done so he would have been forced to drop out because of insufficient tuition funds. So, he spent the last few years saving as much as he could to at least pay for two years and it was just a month ago he received the news of his awarded scholarship.

Checking his phone again, Tsuna sighs when he notices only five minutes have passed. _Maybe I should take some pictures_? He thought as he takes in the sights of centuries-old buildings. He cannot remember the exact date the university was built, but the buildings look as new as the day they were created. _That's magic for you._

"Did you hear? Riku went missing," a black-haired girl whispers in a soft tone. She is wearing one of the university ambassador T-shirts, signalling her role to help first-year students.

"What?" says the brunette beside her with the same shirt. They were standing close to Tsuna so he could hear every word. "I thought he had run away again."

The black-haired girl shakes her head. "That's what his parents thought. This would be the fifth time he has run away from home, but he always goes back. And that's the thing. It's been two weeks. No one has heard from him. It was only yesterday that the university was notified."

"You think he is like the others?"

"Maybe? I don't know. This would make him the third person to go missing from that course in a month."

The brunette shivers and wraps her arms around herself, the thin T-shirt doing nothing to protect her from the cool breeze. "Is the university doing anything?"

"No, I heard that the chairman gave specific orders to not get involved. It's not the police the parents are giving the job to as well. It's the Hunters Association."

The brunette gasps aloud. "They think towers are involved?"

The black-haired girl hisses out a hush. But before she can say any more, she notices Tsuna staring their way with what must have been a surprised expression upon his face. She quickly turns back to the girl and grabs her arm. "Let's go," she says. "The others are probably waiting for us."

And with that, they walk away with the brunette being practically dragged along.

Tsuna tries to take in the information he has just learnt. _The Hunters Association?_ Did a missing person case really involve a tower? From the sound of the girls speaking, the person was most likely involved in the Hunters course as the majority of students here were. A course which began hundreds of years ago because of the appearance of towers. It's what this university is known for. Tsuna recalls the first time his mother had told him about them. The towers. He had been eight when he saw the headline ' _Tower Accident_ ' on the news in which a civilian had entered one. Tsuna had pointed to the screen and asked her about it.

"There are doors," she had said while brushing her hand through his hair. "Doors all over the world which open with individual keys. With these keys, you can enter a tower filled with unimaginable horrors. But at the top, there is a treasure great enough for hunters to put their lives on the line for it."

Since then, Tsuna has wondered about the type of treasures which could be found within a tower. Civilians like Tsuna don't get to know as it is a hunter's secret. The only people that can ask a hunter what treasures they found is the Hunters Association. The rest of the world don't get to know, but whatever it is, it must be valuable as hunters can become millionaires after entering just one tower. That is the allure of the Hunter course in U.F. – people believing it to be a get rich quick scheme and the results will be them making millions. Although, lots of hunters-in-training leave the course before the first year ends because of how physically, mentally and emotionally demanding it is. Not to mention one can actually die from entering a tower.

Turning his thoughts back to the missing boy, Tsuna can only look down at his hands in disbelief. There is no way the boy could have entered a tower without the university's permission. Even then, the boy would have had to have gone with a group of other hunters-in-training. Unless… the boy had a key of his own. The university forbids student hunters from using keys they find and rewards them when they hand them over. Maybe the boy chose not to hand it over? But why would the boy do that? It would be instant expulsion from the university if they found out. This is not what bothers Tsuna the most. It's the fact that the boy is the third person to go missing from the course and the university is keeping it quiet. Tsuna understands that the university most likely does not want to create a commotion as it would be bad for their image.

So Tsuna decides to stay quiet about what he has just heard. He had chosen this university because of its well-known photography course and nothing else. Tsuna does not wish to become a hunter or be a part of anything which involves one. All he wants is a simple university life. One in which the only stresses he has is from coursework and nothing else. Tsuna checks the time once more. _08:45 AM_ shows itself on the digital screen, but he does not care.

He stands up and begins his walk to the induction hall.


	2. Chapter 2

The induction begins surprisingly well.

The chairman of the university had arrived on stage after students had filled the seats in the hall. He starts by introducing himself. Nezu Dohachiro, he says in front of the crowd. Then goes on to give a speech filled with buzzwords like 'we strive to be the best' or 'top university in Japan'. Tsuna is passively listening to the man speak as he does not bother to take in his words. It is practically the same speech as the one given on the university's open day. So Tsuna zones out and instead glances to where the lecturers are sat. He is too far away to make them out clearly, but he can tell they are sat close to the front of the hall. This causes him to wonder which lecturer will be teaching photography. He had checked up online and read the professor's name but there was no picture to match. He can only guess at this moment in time.

Tsuna fiddles with a pen which has the university's logo carved upon it. He had been given a welcome bag by one of the ambassadors as he entered the hall. It had the typical cheap merchandise he expected to be given to students like a diary to help keep track of the years or pamphlets about student services that are available. Tsuna skims through one of the pamphlets. It talks about the mental health team situated within the university and the aids they provide. Counselling being one of them. Tsuna is not surprised they have a service like this, especially with the number of hunters enrolled this year. They are going to need all the help they can get to survive the first year. Unlike the hunter course, Tsuna's first year does not count for anything. All that matters is him passing. It's only the second and third year which make up his final grade. This allows Tsuna to not worry too much about the grade he gets. All he needs to focus on is passing.

It takes another thirty minutes for the chairman to finish speaking. When he finally does, he hands over his place next to the podium to lecturers who call out subjects and expect students to stand up. The first subject to be called out is obviously the hunter course which causes a little over half the students in the hall to stand. The lecturer, who is a tall blonde-haired man with sharp orange eyes, tells the students a room number and expects them to meet him there within the next hour. The same thing happens with the other subjects; students stand up and the lecturer tells them a room number before heading off. It's finally the photography course's turn. Tsuna stands and notes only less than twenty other people stand up with him. The lecturer at the podium is another man with shaggy blond hair but this time with brown eyes. Unlike the other professors, he is not wearing a formal suit but is mostly dressed in casual/smart wear, such as black jeans and a white dress shirt. The sleeves of his shirt are rolled up so Tsuna can clearly see the tattoos on his arms. A little unorthodox for a lecturer of a pristine university.

_So this is Cavallone Dino?_

The man looks _young_ which surprises Tsuna the most. He previously thought that the lecturer who will be teaching him will be older. A lot older. But that does not seem to be the case. Dino snaps Tsuna out of his head as he calls out a room number – MK.03.21. Tsuna quickly jots it in the diary with the pen he received before sitting back down. After the other courses have had their turn, the chairman returns to the podium and offers thanks to students for choosing this university as their place of study. Then they are all dismissed.

* * *

It takes a while for Tsuna to find the room. _MK.03.21_ , he repeats in his head. According to one of the ambassadors, MK stood for Lady Makoto who was one of the patrons of the university when it was first built. The university had named a building in her honour after she passed away, but her legacy as one of the highly celebrated female hunters of her time will always be remembered. The ambassador also said 03 means the third floor and that the number 21 is the room. With this information in mind, Tsuna heads to the building and takes the elevator to the third floor. When he finally reaches the intended room, he knocks on the door and enters when he hears a 'come in' directed at him.

"Welcome!" Cavallone exclaims with a wide smile and gestures towards the seats in the classroom. "Please sit down. We're just waiting for the other students."

Tsuna chooses to sit in the middle row as to not sit so far that he is distancing himself from his other classmates but not too close as well. He likes his space, but that is quickly taken away from him when a short, chestnut-haired girl joins their class and decides to sit beside him. She unpacks her own university given diary from her bag and places it on the table. She then turns to stare at Tsuna with an airy smile that touches her lips. Tsuna smiles back in acknowledgement. But before he turns away to do his own thing, she begins to speak.

"Hi," she says while tucking in a strand of hair behind her ear, "it's nice to meet you."

"Hey," Tsuna replies, not understanding why the girl is suddenly speaking to him. Tsuna believed that the other students would be quite shy in introducing themselves, but once again, he is proven wrong.

"So what's your name?" She asks in a polite tone. "Mine is Sasagawa Kyoko."

"Oh, um. Mine is Sawada Tsuna."

Tsuna makes the conscious decision not to say his full first name. Years of teasing has taught him not to give it away so easily. Sometimes he still wonders why his parents decided to give him such a name, but it's not like he can change it. He has learnt to deal with it and the teasing that comes along.

"So what has made you choose the photography course?"

The question reminds Tsuna of the time when his father had asked the same thing. Tsuna can never forget the look of disappointment which flashed across his father's face as he gave his reason why.

"A photographer? Not a hunter, huh?" His father had said with a voice of uninterest.

Instead of being hurt at the reaction, Tsuna felt a cool prick of fury in the bottom of his stomach which soon spread across his body. He wanted to snap at his father at that moment and tell him he had no right to be disappointed. Not when he sees him once or twice a year. But Tsuna kept his mouth screwed shut and refused to speak to him for the rest of the day. Or at least until he could control his anger without unleashing it at his father. His mother had tried her best to coax Tsuna down for dinner that day as his father would have to leave right after, but Tsuna chose to have dinner in his room which ultimately hurt her. Even though Tsuna felt bad that his mother was caught in the crossfire of emotion, he knew he would make things worse if he spoke to his father face-to-face in a time where he needed to calm down.

"Tsuna?"

Sasagawa's voice breaks him out from his thoughts.

"I hope it's all right if I use your first name," she says as she fidgets with the edge of her diary. "You can use mine. We're going to be classmates after all."

"Oh, sorry," he apologises. "I got lost in thought. Haven't been in school for the past two years. It's weird being back in the education system. That's completely fine, too. Feel free to use my name."

Sasagawa – _no, Kyoko_ – takes no offence and her airy smile softens. "It's no problem. I didn't take time off. I've come straight from high school and was given a place after I passed my conditional offer."

"I had to create a portfolio of photos as my conditional offer," Tsuna explains. "Did you do the same?"

Kyoko nods. "What theme did you choose? I chose the human condition. Thankfully, I was able to get a few of my classmates to help out."

"That's a good theme," Tsuna states. "I decided on urban exploration. You know, like dilapidated buildings or abandoned homes and such. I did it safely, of course. I had to ask for permission to even get into those buildings or else I would have been arrested for trespassing. I don't think the university would have liked that."

Kyoko muffles a snicker. "Yeah, first time entering university and you're ready causing trouble."

Tsuna cannot help but laugh along with her. With that, he decides that Kyoko seems nice and fun to speak to. Hopefully with her, he will have a good time in this course. They continue to chatter until a few other students enter the classroom. Then Cavallone speaks up.

"I think that's all of us," he says with a blinding grin. He then turns to the computer on the desk in front of everyone and turns on the projector. A PowerPoint presentation appears on the white wall with the words ' _Photography – An Introduction_ ' on the first slide. He then begins the lesson.

* * *

Tsuna's first day at university has come to an end and he is still buzzing with excitement from all the things he had been told by Cavallone. Firstly, the university will be providing them with cameras from the equipment room, so the students did not have to worry about buying their own. They will be getting a Jay FA2 III camera which is said to be the best on the market and Tsuna cannot wait to test it out. The camera is well known for having an incredible dynamic range and can create detailed images. With this, Tsuna can create so many unbelievable photos with ease. Tsuna isn't going to throw away his old camera, that's for sure. Not after its been with him for the past six years. He had got it as a birthday present after begging his mother for weeks on end. He has too many memories with the thing to just toss it away.

Secondly, the course is completely coursework base meaning no exams. Tsuna would have kissed the floor if he could. He has a bad history with exams. It's not like he fails them, but he certainly is not the best. He always averaged them. Despite this, Tsuna excelled at coursework because of the amount of effort he can put in with the longer deadline. It did not have to be done within an hour. Most coursework like written works, Cavallone had explained, would have a two-week deadline while photography portfolios would take up the entire semester and be due at the end. This is all Tsuna can ask for. He is so glad he chose this university and got accepted. Tsuna had also said his goodbyes to Kyoko as he left the classroom. She had chosen to stay behind to speak to Cavallone because she had more questions about the course. So Tsuna heads off without her.

He is no longer in the Makoto building but back in the west courtyard. There he sits on one of the open seats to help calm the adrenaline that rushes through his veins. Even though the day is over, Tsuna does not want to leave. He wants to go to the library and bury his head under one of the many photography books they have in their art section. That reminds him. He has to get the books which were on the reading list given to the class. It is a total of five books which will be a heavy read but Tsuna is looking forward to it. He wants to learn more techniques and theories within photography. Maybe then he will have hopes of winning competitions and becoming well-known. He is thinking too far ahead, but he can't help it. Things are changing for the best.

"Tsuna?"

A deep voice calls out from behind him, and one he instantly recognises. Tsuna had seen the owner of the voice earlier today and wished to not bump into him, but it seems like his day is taking a turn for the worst. Tsuna slowly turns his head. There he sees the spiky blonde-haired man with orange eyes staring back. The man is the complete opposite of Cavallone as he is dressed in a completely black suit and a white shirt. Tsuna would think that the man is heading off to a funeral with the way his lips curve downwards in a frown and his eyebrows crease together.

"Giotto," Tsuna grits out. "Pleasant surprise seeing you here."

Tsuna knows he should be nicer to his cousin so he is holding in all the things he truly wishes to say in order to be civil. He does not wish to create a scene. Not when his day started out good. He does not want to ruin it.

"A surprise? Surely your father must have told you I am working here. Or are you still that forgetful?"

Tsuna wants nothing more than to wipe the growing smirk off Giotto's face.

"I guess I am," Tsuna decides on saying. "When was the last time we spoke? Was it a year ago? I can't seem to recall. After all, who can remember a plain face like yours."

Giotto looks at him with a strained expression of annoyance. "I see you still haven't learnt any manners."

"What's that to you?"

Giotto ignores him and continues with his own line of questioning. "If you're not in the hunter course then why are you here?"

"It's none of your business," Tsuna snaps at him knowing where this is going.

"You're my cousin. Of course, it is my business. Wouldn't want you shaming the family name."

Tsuna clenches his teeth tightly together to stop himself from saying anything worse. He takes a deep breath.

"Do people know? That you are apart of the Vongola Hunting Corporation?"

Tsuna shakes his head, not trusting himself to speak.

"Good," Giotto tells him. "Keep it that way."

Before Tsuna finally opens his mouth, Giotto turns and walks away.

Tsuna is left with a wave of blazing anger that rages in his chest.


	3. Chapter 3

Tsuna's walk back home from his first day at university is meant to be a gleeful one. A soothing walk in which he reflects back and picks his favourite parts, but it did not work that way. Instead, Tsuna is tense – shoulders tight and hands clenched up into fists – from his talk with Giotto. This morning Tsuna had hoped to not bump into him after his mother gave him the surprising news that Giotto would be the course leader for the hunters. Tsuna had asked his mother why she kept this information a secret from him and decided to tell him on the day of his induction. Tsuna's mother looked at him with a smile, a _tired_ smile filled with all her years of endurance, and said that his father had told her not to say anything. That they thought it would be a nice reunion between family. After all, they had not 'spoken to each other since the last family meeting' – his mother's own words.

Saying that Tsuna and Giotto speak to each other is a bit of a stretch. They acknowledge each other but never speak unless the situation forces it. The annual Vongola family meeting becomes unbearable when Tsuna has no choice but to interact with the other members. Usually, Tsuna would sit at his assigned place at the long dining table. He would eat his food as family members would chat about the past year and any news which comes to mind. Tsuna is grateful that the meeting only happens once a year. It is the only time he has to deal with bullshit family measures and traditions. Coming from a long line of hunters means numerous amounts of traditions in which family members follow. One of them is excluding civilians from talks about hunting and the treasures they find. As Tsuna and his mother are not hunters, they are considered civilians and have to leave the dining room after they finish eating so the hunters can begin their 'important' discussions. Tsuna has to always physically stop himself from rolling his eyes when it's time to leave the dining room but he's glad he is not involved.

The civilian family members are mostly made up of hunters' wives and young children. So when they leave the room along with Tsuna, they begin their own chatter and badger Tsuna on when he's going to become a hunter and join his father at the table. These distant aunts would then turn to his mother and say things such as 'I thought your son would become a great hunter like his father' or 'what a shame. My son is twelve and is already aspiring to become a hunter'. The backhanded comments towards his mother make Tsuna want to snap at the women but he would just be making the situation worse. Then his mother would reply with an, 'I know. I thought my son would become a hunter, too. He's always been a bit useless'. It's in that moment the anger Tsuna felt towards the women would redirect itself towards his own mother and the fact that she will never support his life choices. She had also been disappointed when Tsuna had told her he wished to study photography. So much so that she tried to persuade him to change his mind but Tsuna stood his ground.

Ever since then, he has had a rocky relationship with his mother and chooses to ignore her every time she brings up something hunter related. At times, Tsuna wonders how his mother sees him compared to his father. Tsuna knows his mother wanted to mould him to become a copy of his father to the point she would say she was ashamed that Tsuna looked more like her than his father. That he did not have his light blonde hair and muscular build. Hearing those words practically every day did fuck with his self-esteem growing up. There would be times Tsuna refused to look in a mirror because the only thing he would see is a petite boy with spiky brown hair and caramel eyes. Not the man his parents wanted him to be.

Shaking his head from these thoughts, Tsuna continues to stroll down the street and turns a corner when he reaches the end. He notes from his position that the sun is beginning to set behind the myriad of buildings, making the sky's shade turn into an unusual purple hue. Normally the sky is filled with shades of pinks and oranges but never purple. He wonders what makes today different. Tsuna decides to open up his backpack and take out his trusted camera in response. Pointing his camera to the sky, Tsuna begins to take pictures with several clicks. He takes a picture of the sun directly behind a tall building making it glow as if a halo surrounds it. Tsuna takes at least fifteen pictures at different angles before he is happy with one single shot. He then places the camera away, but his mood does not lighten.

Normally Tsuna will feel better after taking pictures as he is doing the thing he loves the most. Instead, a strange feeling begins to settle at the bottom of Tsuna's gut and twists in his organs. It tells him to go home. To leave quickly and not turn back. Tsuna does not understand where the strange feeling is coming from, but it grows stronger as he spots an alleyway to the right of him. Tsuna slowly approaches it. He gazes down the alley and sees nothing out of the ordinary. So he begins his descent into it as the sensation in his stomach begins to spread into his lungs, making each breath Tsuna releases heavy and unbearably cold. Every nerve in Tsuna's body is telling him to turn around and run, but the feeling is also addicting and beckons him forward, deeper into the alley. So onwards Tsuna goes.

He must have been walking for about five minutes before something in his body tells him to stop at a specific corner. Tsuna freezes before pressing his back against the wall. He then leans his head forward and around the bend. There he sees something Tsuna knows he should not have, and his instincts are now screaming at him to leave. Tsuna ignores it and focuses on the sight before him. There is a person dressed in an all grey cloak with a hood covering their head. They seem to be frozen at a specific spot they are standing on, making Tsuna wonder if he is staring at a mannequin which was thrown away. They stay still for God knows how long but Tsuna does not move from his spot. He knows something is going to happen. He can feel it.

Then the person shifts.

They lift an arm and Tsuna can clearly see a gloved hand holding something which gives off a faint glow. He squints his eyes as to get them to focus in the same way he would twist a camera's lens. The faint glow of the object becomes brighter until Tsuna can make out what it was under the darkening sky. It is a key. A tower key. But never had Tsuna come across a tower key which gives off a light blue glow. Tower keys are usually as grey as the person's cloak and look like cruciform keys, but the head has a magical sigil carved upon it. This specific key, the one with the blue glow, looks different but Tsuna is too far to make out the difference. At this point, Tsuna knows he should leave. Maybe he is interrupting a hunter doing their job. But something tells him that's wrong. That this is not an ordinary hunting job. It's something more.

Pain suddenly explodes at the side of Tsuna's head and he crumples to the ground. If the person in the grey cloak takes notice of Tsuna's appearance he cannot tell because all Tsuna can focus on is the agony that consumes his mind. He can feel liquid seeping into his half-closed eyes even though he knows it's not raining as the rest of his body does not feel drenched. Someone grabs Tsuna's legs and begins to drag him across the floor. Tsuna moans in protest and tries to open his eyes but all he can see are bright blurry lights that forces him to try and turn away. There is murmuring in the background. Two voices that he cannot make out. They seem to be furiously hissing words at each other.

Tsuna begins to drift off into darkness but the final words he hears is clear.

"…into the door."

* * *

The pain has dulled down when Tsuna wakes up, but it takes a while before he could fully open his eyes without creating sharp aches in his head. Despite his eyes taking their time to work again, Tsuna's other senses go into overdrive. For some strange reason, he can hear the loud sounds of water rushing like a tap that had been left open on full blast. But what makes the noise different is that it seems to be coming from all around him and echoes off the walls. Is he at an indoor pool of some sort? He remembers the voices. The harsh whispers which were blown away into the wind. Are those people planning to drown him? Although, he cannot hear the chatter or footsteps of anyone around him. Does that mean he is alone?

With care, Tsuna finally opens his eyes. The first thing he sees is a rocky ceiling with jagged edges protruding downwards. Tsuna blinks believing there something wrong with his sight, but the ceiling remains the same. There is no sky. No purple hue. Just a rocky ceiling. _Where am I?_ Tsuna thinks. He sluggishly turns the non-injured side of his head so his right cheek touches the floor.

There he sees a view like none other.

There is a pool. _No_ , he realises in a split second, _not a pool._ It's a large pond with a waterfall attached to it. The water cascades down from the ceiling even though there is no clear opening for water to be released and crashes into the pond. That is not the only thing. This water is different. It _glows_ in the same way the key did and illuminates the room with its blue colour. Tsuna pauses and recalls the last words he had heard. _Into the door_ , a low voice had said but Tsuna could not figure out if it belonged to a man or woman. It's then he realises what has happened to him. Those people had opened the tower door and thrown him in. Maybe in hopes that whatever is inside would kill him. Fear should have gripped Tsuna at that moment, but he feels unnervingly calm.

Tsuna rolls over onto his stomach and slowly pushes himself up onto his feet. He uses the wall he is next to for support. When he stands, Tsuna decides to wobble over to the pond. It takes him many careful steps before he reaches the edge and he tumbles down to his knees. He can feel the wet floor soaking deep into his trousers, but he does not care. He takes a look at his reflection in the clear mirror-like water and sees _blood_. So much that it caked over half his face and into the corners of his eyes. Tsuna makes sure not to touch the wound on his head as he does not want it to get infected. Placing his hands together in a bowl-like shape, he dunks it under water and raises his hands before splashing the cool liquid over his face. He begins to rub the blood off. A large amount disappears and he can open his eyes more easily but some red stains his face.

Turning away from the pond, Tsuna glances around once more. This is when he takes notice of the tunnel to the far left of him in what seems to be an underwater cave. Tsuna has never been in a tower before so he cannot safely say if they are all like this. His father had refused to tell him stories when he had asked as a child. Instead, his father had opted to tell him that he must become a hunter to know them. Being his only means of escape, Tsuna settles on the idea of entering the tunnel. Maybe he will find a way home.

* * *

The tunnel is long and well-lit by strange blue flames that blaze on torches hanging from the walls. Tsuna had tried to put his palm next to one in order to feel some warmth as he is still wet from washing his face in the pond but there is none. Only a sense of tranquillity sweeps over Tsuna as his hand brushes over a flame. Was this the power of the tower? A question that dominates his mind but Tsuna continues to push forward in hopes of finding an exit.

It takes a while but Tsuna reaches an opening. When he steps through, Tsuna doubts if he is really in a different room or the same room as before as they look almost identical. The only visible differences are the tunnel he exits from and another tunnel opposite him. But it's not just that. Tsuna's brain almost shuts down at the shock of what he sees in front. Before him, there is a man out cold on the floor and in the exact same spot he had been when he woke up. The second thing Tsuna notices after the shock wears off is the amount of blood that surrounds the man. The cause of the bleeding seems to be from a leg wound as the man's military-themed trousers are drenched in the red liquid.

_Is he dead?_

Tsuna has no way of knowing unless he goes over to him and he does with cautious steps. Tsuna feels none of the dangerous sensations in his gut that had consumed him earlier as he treads closer to the injured man. Maybe this person is a hunter who got hurt by the same people? Or by whatever stalks the tower. Tsuna has no way of knowing unless the man is awake. When Tsuna reaches the man, he slowly lowers to his knees and places a hand over the man's chest in order to feel for a heartbeat. He feels the sensation of one drumming in a rhythmic but steady pattern. Tsuna sighs. The man is alive. That's one problem solved. The next is to deal with his wound. Tsuna shifts closer to the man's legs and examines the gash. It did not look too deep, but it will definitely need stitches. Tsuna just needs something to pressure the wound so it bleeds more slowly or else the man will most likely die.

Tsuna takes another look at the man and observes a bandanna wrapped around his head. He reaches up to grab it and wrap it around the wound tightly. As he does this, he hears a groan of pain escaped the man's mouth and his eyelids begin to flicker open.

"It's okay," Tsuna reassures the man. "It's okay. You seem to be hurt."

Before long, the man gazes at Tsuna with a hazy look upon his face. At the same time, Tsuna takes notice of the most unbelievable shade of blue eyes that this man possesses. It almost matches the shade of the flames. The man moans again breaking Tsuna from his thoughts.

"Can you speak?" Tsuna tentatively asks. He isn't going to ask the man if he is okay because clearly he is not. Plus, Tsuna always thought that is a stupid question to ask when someone is obviously in pain.

The man nods slowly. "…yeah."

"That's good," Tsuna tells the man while thinking of what his next steps will be. There is no food, bandages or items that could help him in that moment. There is only water.

"Who are you?" The man says with difficulty as if there is something stuck in his throat.

"Sawada Tsuna is my name," he replies in a soft tone. "I'm here to help."

But Tsuna has no idea what help he can do for the man. He's no doctor. They need to get out of here and quickly.

"I'm really sorry to ask this," Tsuna begins, "but are you able to stand?"

The man looks at Tsuna with a pained incredulous expression and Tsuna flushes in embarrassment.

"I know it's a really stupid question to ask, but we need to get you to a doctor or someone that can help. I don't know where exits are or if there are any monsters here. All I know is I don't think I can leave you behind."

And it's true. Tsuna does not think his conscience can handle leaving someone behind to die. So he continues to ramble on.

"You can try and lean your weight onto me as we walk. I think that's the only option we have. I can't think of anything else right now. I've never been in a tower before, so I don't know how they work. The flames are weird as well. Like there's no heat so I don't think we can use that to stay warm. All I know is that we have to move up the tower and hope for a key of some sort. Is that all right with you?"

The man remains staring at Tsuna but this time with an unreadable expression.

"Okay," the man finally says.

"Okay," Tsuna repeats.

He then proceeds to help the man up. It takes a few tries before the man is able to lean his weight on Tsuna without causing them both to fall back down. Tsuna places his right arm around the man's waist to help support him and the blonde-haired man places his own arm upon Tsuna's shoulders. It's then they are able to move forward while the man hops on his non-injured leg.

"Never asked my name," the man tells Tsuna, and he is right. In the middle of his rambling, Tsuna had forgotten to ask the man's name in return.

"Oh," Tsuna says while they struggle towards the tunnel. "Sorry."

The man chuckles a bit. "No need to apologise. It's Colonnello."

Tsuna smiles at the man. "It's nice to meet you, Colonnello."


	4. Chapter 4

Their walk – _walk? More like them dragging their feet_ – to the next room is a lengthy one. With the injuries Tsuna and Colonnello sustained, they make sure to take it slow and have breaks when needed. In between these walks, they begin to chat about anything. It is through this Tsuna learns about Colonnello and what he is doing here. The man had said through gritted teeth and a pained expression that he is a hunter who had become trapped in this tower when his partner had betrayed him. His partner then proceeded to leave him behind after stabbing him in the leg with a knife. Tsuna could only stare at Colonnello in doubt as the man tells his story. _Who would leave a person to die?_ Is the thought that ran through Tsuna's head. Despite this question, a sensation in his chest reappeared as the man continued his talk. It was not the sensation which previously warned him of the danger ahead. No, this sensation was different. It felt as if something is gripping his heart and squeezing all the blood out of it. It's then Tsuna instantly recognises what it was. He has felt this feeling before. With his own mother. When she _lies_. But why would the man be lying? And what was he lying about?

There are no answers to Tsuna's questions and it's not like he could accuse the man outright. Tsuna also had a feeling that they will need each other and he's not the type of person to leave an injured man behind. Help the helpless, is a belief his father had taught him. This was during one of the occasions where his father did not anger him and chose to speak to him as if they were equals. A family, even. Occasions like those don't happen often but when they do, it makes Tsuna forget the bad parts of their relationship and leaves him craving for more. It never lasts though. Soon enough, they would find themselves arguing about something and Tsuna would storm away in a gust of fury. Sometimes Tsuna wished that he had a normal family. Not one filled with hunters and their secrets, but he is not a child and knows that wishes do not come true. Not even under a star-filled night.

Returning his thoughts to his current predicament and away from bad memories, Tsuna is sat on the floor with Colonnello right next to him. The man is close enough that Tsuna can feel the breeze of his breath brushing against his hair. Colonnello's arm is also still around his shoulders in preparation of them needing to get up and start walking again, but that will not happen any time soon. Tsuna needs to catch his breath from walking for so long. His legs are starting to feel like paper from Colonnello leaning his weight on him.

"You feeling okay?" Colonnello asks in what seems to be a hint of worry.

Tsuna raises his head to face the man and nods. "Yeah, just a little tired. I would normally be in bed by now and I had a draining first day in class."

"Class? You go to high school, kora?"

Tsuna wants to sigh in exasperation. It is not the first time someone had mistaken his age. He gets it a lot but learns to deal with it. He knows it should be a compliment of some sort, but it becomes more of an inconvenience when he is constantly asked his ID to do things.

"Not high school," Tsuna decides on saying. "University. I went to my first class."

Colonnello hums in interest. "So you study hunting?"

"No," Tsuna replies but it comes out much harsher than he intended.

Colonnello raises an eyebrow at the unexpected tone but says nothing.

Tsuna can feel blood rushing to his cheeks. "Sorry," he says. "No, I don't study hunting. I study photography."

"Photography?" Colonnello repeats as if he heard Tsuna wrong. "Then can I ask what you're doing here? In this tower, I mean."

Tsuna is not surprised that the man is curious. After all, why would a person without hunting experience be found within a tower? It makes no sense. Tsuna opts to answer the question as he had nothing to hide.

"I was attacked and dragged in here," Tsuna tells him plainly.

This causes Colonnello to look at him with his mouth a little open. "Attacked?"

Tsuna explains what had happened to him. He talks about the person in the grey cloak and the glowing key. Then the attack and the pain which came after. He explains it all in as much detail as he can, but his memories seem hazy as his head still aches. It feels like there's a second heart in his head from the way his wound throbs in a dull discomfort. Thankfully, the bleeding has stopped as he can no longer feel liquid seeping down his hair. It's obvious to him that his own wound will need stitches but how many Tsuna does not know. He only hopes this whole situation will be over soon.

Colonnello stays silent through his explanation. It's only after Tsuna finishes speaking that the man begins to talk.

"So you are not after what's at the top of the tower?"

Tsuna slowly shakes his head as to not make his headache worse. "I just want an exit."

Colonnello does not say a word after that and Tsuna does not mind.

* * *

They reach another room shortly after their tenth break. Tsuna has been counting the number of breaks they've been taking as there was nothing else to do. For some reason, Colonnello has been deep in thought or what looks like it. It's at times where he would have an expression that tells Tsuna he wants to say something, but he holds himself back in the last second. Tsuna pretends not to notice this and focuses his attention on finding a way out. It is only after a while they see the light of a tunnel exit and take tentative steps towards it. That is what brings them to this room. A room, Tsuna notes, with no pond or waterfall. It is only a large space filled with nothing other than torches which keep the place well lit.

 _Well, this is different,_ Tsuna thinks as he skims over the area and sees nothing unusual. In spite of this, he keeps his guard up. There must be a reason why this room is not similar when compared to the others. So he proceeds to give the space another look over as he and Colonnello continue walking to the other tunnel. Although there is nothing to observe, a sense of danger pools at the bottom of Tsuna's stomach. The feeling persists as he reaches the middle of the room. That's when the change happens.

The room _shakes_.

So much so that Tsuna loses his footing and tumbles to the ground. Colonnello is dragged along with him and almost crushes Tsuna with his bodyweight as he falls directly on top of him. But neither of them move from their position, knowing it's best to wait the earthquake out. Or what must be an earthquake. There is no other way to describe it. Many years of earthquake training from kindergarten to high school has taught Tsuna to hide under a table or desk, but there is nothing like that here. Only Colonnello's body which rests above his own like a human shield. The noise the room makes is worse. The trembling sounds of rocks crashing together or scraping across each other cause his headache to intensify. Tsuna cries out in pain and closes his eyes in an attempt to gain back some sense of control. Colonnello must have heard his cry as his grip around Tsuna tightens which pulls him closer to the tall man. This is when Tsuna can faintly hear Colonnello saying something, but the noise of the room as well as his headache drowns it out.

Tsuna loses track of time once again. He does not know for how long the room has been shaking or for what amount of time he has been lying on the floor. All he knows is that he wants the trembling to stop. The pain from his wound is becoming too unbearable, numbing the rest of his senses to the point Tsuna feels like he is no longer in his body. That his existence is only made up of agony and nothing else. He can no longer think, breathe or even feel Colonnello holding onto him in that moment. Pain is the only thing that is real. Everything else declares itself to be fake like all the sensations from earlier were only a figment of his imagination. It seems so distant.

Then it stops.

The earthquake stops, and Tsuna finds himself gasping for air.

"–na?! Tsuna?!" Colonnello's voice slowly begins to fade in as well as his touch, his arms still around Tsuna. "Breathe. Like me. Breathe in. Breathe out."

Tsuna follows his instructions. He breathes in. Then out. Then in again. He continues the cycle of breathing until the pain from his head begins to dial down enough for Tsuna to open his eyes. There he sees a blurred Colonnello looking down at him with a concerned look upon his face. Tsuna blinks to help get his eyes into focus. His vision soon sharpens enough to notice Colonnello is sat upright with his arms snaked around Tsuna's waist, holding him close to his chest. This makes Tsuna have to crane his neck to look up at the man.

"I'm fine," Tsuna slurs out, his mouth feeling as numb as the rest of his body. "I just… need some time."

Colonnello does not buy it though. "You look like you are a second away from collapsing, kora."

Tsuna cannot argue against the man. All he wishes to do is sleep away the day and forget this place even exists, but he knows he cannot do that. He is most likely suffering from a concussion and the effects are now beginning to show themselves. So he cannot lose consciousness now. Not when it could harm him or knock him out cold for hours. He needs to do his best to stay awake, especially with another person depending on him.

"What happened?" Tsuna says, changing the topic to something else.

"It's gone," Colonnello whispers with shock colouring his features. "They're both gone."

He is no longer looking directly down at Tsuna but at the tunnel they were heading towards. Tsuna turns his head in the same direction and can only stare in a stunned silence. The tunnel is gone, covered by what seems like a round cave door. Was that the cause of the earthquake? A rock door sliding over to cover the tunnel? It's the only explanation. The door does not seem to be an ordinary one for that matter. There is something written on it, but Tsuna cannot make it out from this distance. They need to head closer to figure out what has happened. And didn't Colonnello say both? Tsuna turns his head in the opposite direction and observes that the same thing had happened to the other tunnel, but this one has no symbols upon it. It looks like the door had merged with the tunnel, making it seem as if it never existed in the first place. One thing is very clear to Tsuna – they are trapped and with no visible means of escape. The only hint seems to be the door with the words written upon it.

"The door," Tsuna murmurs. "We should move towards the door with the writing."

A conflicted look flickers across Colonnello's face. "Are you sure? We can rest for a while. It's not like we're going anywhere anytime soon."

Even though that's true, the sensation of danger has not eased up and remains growing within his chest. Something else is coming so now is not the time to rest. With the threat fast approaching, Tsuna says, "Yeah, I'm sure," in the best 'there's nothing to be concerned about' voice. Hopefully, this will get Colonnello to not disagree with him. It does. Colonnello nods and softly releases his hold on Tsuna. This allows him to slowly make his way up to his feet. Tsuna almost stumbles a few times but after a few attempts, he is able to stand steadily.

With a sigh of relief, Tsuna turns to Colonnello and tells him, "I don't think I can carry your weight yet."

"I know. If you help me walk now, you'll collapse like a stack of cards."

Tsuna snorts at the humorous image which in turn makes Colonnello smile.

"Yeah," he says. "But I'll check the door and tell you what it says."

Colonnello agrees to his idea, and Tsuna begins his walk to the door. It takes only a few moments as Tsuna drags his body towards it. When he reaches the door, he finds himself out of breath and panting for air, but he ignores his lungs plea for rest. His eyes scan the door and the writing carved upon it. It appears to say, _you can have me but cannot hold me; gain me and quickly lose me._ Tsuna cannot help but stare at the words. _A riddle?_ He thinks. But why would there be a riddle here? And how would he give his answer? Will he have to shout it for the door to open? This is not the only thing that catches Tsuna's attention. Beneath the words is a sigil. It is made up of a circle within a box which also has a diagonal line cutting through.

This makes Tsuna recall a time his mother had taken him to a young hunter class as a fifteen-year-old. He had been forced to go at the request of his father and his mother was all too happy to listen. Tsuna had endured the day filled with hunters explaining how great it is to become like them, but none of them explained what hunting actually involves. They seemed adamant to not let anything slip. It's only when Tsuna asked to go to the bathroom that he found something he will have to keep a secret for the rest of his life. It was a journal which lay next to a sink. Tsuna thought it probably belongs to one of the students who had gone to the toilet earlier and forgot all about it. So Tsuna had no issue picking it up and skimming through it. The book was filled with strange symbols and notes next to each one of them. It's then he realises that this journal does not belong to a student but a hunter. Tsuna made sure to check the bathroom stalls before reading any more.

It is during that time that he learnt about sigils and their meanings. According to the book, there are seven main sigils; sky, storm, rain, sun, lightning, mist and cloud. These sigils, the book had said, give individual powers to the holders and a hunter can only possess one. In order to find out what sigil a hunter possessed, they would need to be appraised by the Hunter Association which gives them their results. But the main sigils is not what's on the door. No, this one is different and if Tsuna remembers correctly, this is the sigil for _trust_. Was this the answer to the riddle? It seems like it. But what sort of riddle gives the answer away so easily? It did not make sense. Unless…

Tsuna looks towards the side of the door and sees a hole large enough to place a hand through. He wonders if this means he must place his hand through it and trust whatever is inside. It is the only option Tsuna currently has or else he and Colonnello will be trapped in this room until someone new finds their bodies. Not wanting that to happen, Tsuna steps towards the hole in the wall and places his fingers inside. The hole is deeper than he thought so Tsuna leans further in. It's then he feels a button of some sort and his instincts tell him to press it. He does and waits. Soon the sounds of something rushing can be heard in the distance. It echoes right above Tsuna. It almost sounds like…

_Water?_

Before he can react, water begins to gush from the ceiling and down the walls. The water hit Tsuna and soaks him. This causes him to stumble backwards in surprise.

"Tsuna!" Colonnello yells out from behind him.

When Tsuna turns to face him, the water is already up to his knees. Right now, Tsuna should be freaking out as this seems to be the way he is going to die but he feels unnervingly calm. The sensations in his body telling him that everything will be okay as all he has to do is listen. But to what? What does he listen to? Colonnello? Tsuna begins to push through the water to reach back to the man who is sitting on the floor. The water is up to his shoulders and continues rising to his neck. When Tsuna reaches him, he does not grab Colonnello and help re-place him onto his feet. Instead, Tsuna sinks to his knees and joins Colonnello in the water.

Colonnello can only watch him in disbelief. "What are you doing?!"

"I don't know," Tsuna replies with honesty. He is only following what his body is telling him to do.

The water is now above Tsuna's neck and caresses his cheeks as he gazes up towards the ceiling. _Trust_ , the sigil says. Who is there to trust? The sigil does not mean the hole in the wall. That is obvious now. It does not mean Colonnello who is calling Tsuna's name. The only thing left is the water.

This is who he trusts.

The water which spreads across his face and _pulls_ him under.

Tsuna is able to keep his eyes open despite being underwater. Having no experience with swimming, he is stuck in the same position and is unable to move without flailing about. But Tsuna does not need to move, his body tells him. He only needs to sit, and he does. Directly across him, Colonnello takes a final gasp of air and joins him beneath the water. This makes Tsuna smile. Now they are both where they have to be. They are not meant to die today. Not in this room. Not by drowning. Tsuna does not understand how he knows this, but he _trusts_. Like the sigil is telling him.

The room is now filled to the brim with water and Tsuna is running out of breath. He needs to breathe and now. _Trust_ , he thinks again. The water will not harm him. It fills him with a sense of tranquillity and peacefulness that Tsuna has never felt before. This is the true answer to the riddle.

So he opens his mouth and takes a deep breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello!!
> 
> I've just moved a few of my fanfiction from FF and to Ao3 because I want to test out this site and see what it's like. I'm still going to post on FF but will post here, too. 
> 
> I hope you guys enjoyed this story.


	5. Chapter 5

Breathing underwater is a strange experience.

One he cannot describe so simply. If he had to try and put it into words, it is as if the air he had been previously breathing was wrong. That water was the most natural environment to breathe in. Even now, he can feel water expanding within his lungs as it casually enters through his nose. This causes Tsuna to wonder if he can speak. Wanting to test it out, Tsuna opens his mouth to formulate some words, but all that is released is the last bubbles of air being pushed out of his body.

_So I can't speak, huh?_

Tsuna turns towards Colonnello who is watching him with a curious tint to his expression. With no verbal means of communication, Tsuna points to Colonnello then makes an 'O.K' hand gesture. Thankfully, Colonnello understands and nods back at him.

 _Good_ , he thinks. _At least he's not freaking out_.

But why is Tsuna not freaking out himself? Breathing underwater should not be possible. Everything he has seen today should have been beyond the realms of possibility. Magic, he realises. This must be the power of this tower. It is common knowledge that magic exists but only hunters can use it. Civilians are forbidden from casting spells because of how dangerous they can be without experience or proper supervision. So, it's not every day that magic is used or seen.

But it does not answer the question of how he knew to trust the water.

Tsuna can boil it down to good intuition. Something he has always had. There have been a few times where it has even saved his life. One instance comes to mind. It was during his early teens when a strange woman had asked him for help while on his way back home. She had told him how she lost her way and needed some directions. But Tsuna's intuition screamed that she was lying. That he should turn and run. He did. Before she could ask anything else, Tsuna spun around and sped off back to school. He could hear footsteps chasing after him and the woman calling him back. Soon the footsteps died off as he caught sight of his middle school. The gates were still open, and he rushed inside.

After explaining his situation to a teacher, his parents were instantly called to collect him. When his mother arrived, the teacher suggested that she should call the police, but she brushed it off.

"My son just has an overactive imagination," his mother had said despite the teacher's protests.

It was later that week he saw the strange woman again, but this time on the news. She was being charged with the murder of a child. This child from a school less than fifteen minutes away. Tsuna kept quiet as the reporter explained the death in minimal detail. But just as his mother said, his overactive imagination filled in the gaps causing nightmares which lasted a month.

Shaking his head, Tsuna turns his attention back towards the door. There he observes that the sigil has changed. The symbol for trust is no longer carved. Something else has taken over. A new sigil. Tsuna begins to move towards it. As he swims, he expects some resistance from the water but receives none. He glides through the water like a fish in its element. From the corner of his eye, he can see Colonnello following closely beside him. The water must have relieved some pressure from his leg as they are essentially floating.

He once again reaches the door to examine the new sigil. One he instantly recognises the second he catches sight of it. _Fire._ It is the sigil for fire. The same sigil that is combined with the sky symbol to create the Vongola Hunting crest. Only members of this corporation are given permission to wear it. His father has the crest especially embroidered on all his suits, while his mother has a brooch made out of diamonds. His mother was given the brooch as a wedding gift and would only wear it to the Vongola family meetings. The only time she _could_ wear it.

But what does the sigil mean? This time there are no other words paired with the sigil. No riddles or clues. Just the symbol.

Tsuna glances around the room. It's there he notices the torches on the walls. Seven in total. Although, it is not the torches that fill him with a sudden sense of surprise. It is the way the blue flames burn as brightly as they did earlier. Maybe even brighter. Without even thinking of how this is possible, Tsuna quickly swims over to the nearest one. As he makes a move to grab the torch, something stops him. A hand on his shoulder. Colonnello. He stops Tsuna. For what reason, he does not know.

Tsuna stares at Colonnello with a raised eyebrow as if beckoning him to explain, but the man smiles and points at the torch. This just fills Tsuna with more confusion, but he takes a look anyway. On closer inspection, Tsuna notices another sigil carved on the wooden handle. _Rain_ , it says.

 _That's wrong,_ a small voice within his head tells him. His own voice.

Tsuna tentatively raises his hand and places it close to the flame. Unlike before, this flame burns and a tiny inkling of rage begins to spread through his fingers and into the rest of his body. He pulls away. Is this the rain element? That cannot be right. Earlier he felt peace and tranquillity. This… This feels more like when his blood rages beneath his skin, or anger pounding behind his eyes. This is more like a _storm?_

He decides to move towards the next torch. There he feels a different kind of wrongness from the flame. The sensation he would feel when touching stiff snow that had melted and refrozen. A cold that rattled the joints of his bones. Again, this is the wrong flame. So, he moves onto the next one. And the next. Until he finds it. The flame which soothes his anxious mind and keeps him calm. It is this torch he allows himself to grab.

As he picks up the torch, an audible click travels through the water and into his ears. It is then the door rumbles open and acts as a drain, dragging Tsuna and Colonnello along for the ride.

* * *

It takes a while for the currents to slow down as it rushes them through another hallway. Soon the waves come to a screeching halt as they reach a smaller room. Tsuna crashes into the floor while gasping for air. His body desperately begins to expel the water from his lungs. After he is finished puking, Tsuna notices Colonnello beside him and the gentle strokes of his hand against his back.

"You feeling better?" Colonnello asks as he tries to regain his own breath.

Tsuna nods slowly. Truthfully, he feels as if he was tossed into a washing machine and thrown around. However, what is unexpected is that he did not let go of the torch. He still holds it tight within his hand, and the flame has not been extinguished. It burns and sways as if being pushed around by a soft breeze.

"Where are we now?" Tsuna manages to choke out.

"A throne room."

Tsuna blinks at the words and forces himself to look up from the floor. There he sees, just as Colonnello describes, a large throne in the middle of the room surrounded by water. Although, a stage elevates it with stairs ascending to it. The throne itself is a lavish blue with intricate designs carved into the stone. Also, from this distance, Tsuna can see pearls of different sizes embedded into it as they shine under flames. Overall, it looked highly uncomfortable, and Tsuna pities the person who is forced to sit on it.

"Does this mean your trials are over?" Tsuna asks as he gazes towards Colonnello. "Or is this the final one?"

The hand on Tsuna's back stops moving as Colonnello's comforting smile drops a bit. They both stay in silence for the next few moments as they stare each other down. It's after a while Colonnello starts to laugh. It begins as a small chuckle before growing boisterous but soon dies down as he tries to catch his breath.

Colonnello grin turns almost blinding as he says, "How did you figure it out, kora?"

"Your story," Tsuna explains, thankful that the man is no longer lying to him, "is a weird one. You said you were attacked and your partner left, but there has been no sign of anyone else being in this tower. From my knowledge, if a person completes a tower, it implodes and everything inside is destroyed. But the tower has not been completed. This should have meant running into your partner. That is if they are still alive. Most of all…"

 _Towers don't reset until all participants fail_ , he had overheard his father say to Giotto as he began his hunter training. This means that Tsuna joined the tower while it was in the process of a trial – Colonnello's and his partner's. This should have made Tsuna the third participant.

Tsuna repeated the words to Colonnello. "But everything has been untouched. Including the torches in the previous room. This can only mean one thing. That your partner never existed in the first place. And the story of your attack is a lie. You purposefully hurt yourself. For what reason, I don't know."

"You figured out that much, huh?"

Colonnello does not sound angry. Instead, he sounds almost impressed. Then a thoughtful look flashes across his face as a small _hmmm_ exits his lips.

"Let's figure out the rest," he suddenly says.

"What?" instantly shot out of Tsuna's mouth.

He did not expect those words.

"Come on, you've almost figured out my secret," he says with his usual sly grin. "Now figure out the rest."

At that moment, Colonnello looked like a child who had been given a new toy. He even moves closer to Tsuna and sits down beside him. All Tsuna can do is stare at the man as if he has lost the plot.

The man laughs again. "Don't stare at me like that. I'll tell you what, if you can figure out the truth behind this tower you will be free."

"And if I don't?"

"You will be stuck here with me," he explains in a cheery tone.

Tsuna almost wants to scream in frustration.

 _But this is the only way out_ , he thinks. _I'll play along._

There are a few questions that run through Tsuna's mind. The first is why would the man hurt himself? There is only one possibility. To join the trials with the participants. Make himself be seen as an innocent participant who had just got hurt. But why would the man do that? This is when Tsuna comes to a realisation. Up until now, Tsuna has not caught sight of the demon that controls this tower. _But that would mean…_ Could Colonnello be the demon of the tower? It did not seem too far-fetched to believe that. Although, the man does not look like a demon. Then again, Tsuna has never been in a tower before so he does not know what a demon should look like. Tsuna settles on this answer.

"You are the demon of this tower," he finally says. "You hurt yourself so you can join in on the trials and watch from the sidelines."

The man beams. "Correct!"

_Well, that was easy._

Not that Tsuna is complaining, but this final trial seems a little too easy, and he does not understand why. Also, should he be afraid right now? There is a demon right next to him. Maybe it's the exhaustion. Today has taken everything out of him, and all he wants to do is go home, sleep and forget this ever happened.

"So I can go now?"

Colonnello nods. "But not without the tower's treasure."

"Treasure?"

"Yes," Colonnello says as he moves uncomfortably close to Tsuna. "Me."

Confusion settles over Tsuna. "What do you mean by you?"

"You really don't know anything, do you?"

Tsuna flushes at the words and the abrupt closeness. Being this close to the man allows Tsuna to see the light freckles spread across his cheeks.

"Well, I'll explain to you what the hunters did not. We, demons, hold a lot of value. Especially within the world of hunting. After someone completes a tower, they become the keeper of the demon which can later be kept, sold or traded. Depending on the rank of the demon, they can go for quite a lot. Millions even. But there's something else. Something to do with the flame you hold in your hand."

Tsuna looks down at the torch he is still holding. It burns with the blue flame.

"There are seven flames in total. Each holding special properties. Hunters not only enter a tower to collect the demon but also their flame."

"What's so special about the flame?" Tsuna interjects, curiosity getting the better of him.

"Ha, I was just getting there. When a hunter collects all seven flames, they are bestowed with a tower key. But not just any key."

Colonnello pauses for a few seconds and takes a deep breath. It is then Tsuna notices how his demeanour suddenly changes. It becomes much more serious with the playfulness gone.

"It is the key to the final tower."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm back!
> 
> And I know you guys probably have a lot of questions regarding this chapter. Like why was the final trial so easy and so on. But I promise to answer them soon!
> 
> Also, thank you sooo much for your comments! I love reading them. It fills me with so much happiness to know you guys love the story.
> 
> Please comment and feel free to give your thoughts!


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